Silicone polymers are well known materials in the cosmetic and personal care industries. These materials are composed of repeating dimethylsiloxanes units which may be terminated in various ways. These terminations, in large measure, determine their properties (i.e. hydrophilicity) and their ability to react with other materials. In addition to the terminal groups, the polydimethylsiloxanes themselves can have widely varying molecular weights and may be linear, branched or crosslinked in structure. Each of these variations will produce widely varying properties and uses. Some of the silicone polymers that are more useful in cosmetic and personal care products are the silicone elastomers. These are highly cross-linked silicone polymers that have physical properties that resemble those of rubber—in that they deform and stretch when force is applied, they bounce when dropped to the floor and they exhibit an elastic memory, i.e. exerting a force to return to their original shape once they are deformed. When diluted (or dispersed) in a solvent (or liquid) these elastomers find use as film forming materials. Further, when used in cosmetics or personal care products, the elastomer solutions or dispersions produce a very smooth, non-oily, dry feeling lubricity on skin and hair. This effect is especially appreciated in make-up products that contain pigments and because the product application is greatly improved and because the elastomer film can reduce the rubbing off of the pigments once the product is applied and has dried. The silicone elastomers of particular interest are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,686 which is directed to the preparation and use of silicone elastomers that are crosslinked as a solution in either a low viscosity silicone oil, a hydrocarbon oil, a cyclomethicone or mixtures thereof.
Other polymers in addition to silicone elastomers are used in personal care and cosmetic products. Materials such as polyethylenes, polybutenes and polydecenes are used as emollients and vehicles in a variety of products. Vinyl polymers with pendant ester or acid groups are used as thickeners in aqueous systems and as film formers and hair fixatives. Polyurethanes of several different types are used as hair fixatives, film forming agents, viscosity modifiers and hair and skin conditioners. In general, these polyurethanes have a noticeable tacky feel. It is thought that this tackiness contributes to the outstanding deposition and film forming properties of the polyurethanes and, while this may be desirable in some applications, it often interferes with a feeling of lubricity which is usually desirable in personal care products. It is with these properties in mind that we sought to combine the silicone elastomers with the polyurethanes in order to combine their properties, hopefully to reduce the tackiness, to obtain new properties and to develop a wider range of applications for all of the polymers.